This article is about the social protection system in France. For details about the institution dealing with the French public insurance system, see Social Security in France.
Welfare in France (also known as social protection, from French: Protection sociale) includes all systems whose purpose is to protect people against the financial consequences of social risks (illness, maternity, old age, unemployment).Social welfare refers to all the mechanisms of collective foresight, enabling individuals to cope with the financial consequences of "social risks". These are situations that could jeopardize the economic security of the individual or his family (defined as a group of people bound by ties of lineage and alliance), causing a decline in its resources or increase its expenditure (old age, sickness, disability, unemployment, maternity, family responsibilities, etc.). In France, the welfare system make up for about 500 billion euros annually, or more than 30% of GDP.
The origin of social protection in France dates back to medieval times, with fraternal benefit societies. In the second half of the nineteenth century, systems of social assistance developed gradually, often launched by employers marked by social Catholicism, then relayed by the first laws. In 1930, modern social insurance was created, offering employees protection against certain risks: accidents, sickness, disability, maternity, old age, death ... During the Second World War, the National Council of Resistance designed the system of Social security, now at the heart of social protection. It was created just after the Liberation, by an order of 4 October 1945, followed by other texts. Gradually, protection has covered the entire population, while the benefits extend.
When creating Social Security, France imitated more the Bismarckian system (insurance for workers) than the Beveridge one (widespread solidarity). Over the years, the solidarity (as opposed to a system of contributions) has gradually developed in the French system, which the foundation remains the concept of insurance. However, the desire to establish a universal system has faced opposition. This explains why the French welfare system is plural, with a wide variety of actors. The most important is the general scheme for employees of industry, commerce and services.

This is an excerpt from the article Welfare in France from the Wikipedia free encyclopedia. A list of authors is available at Wikipedia.

The article Welfare in France at en.wikipedia.org was accessed 41 times in the last 30 days. (as of: 06/09/2013)

In Creating the Welfare State in France, 1880-1940 Timothy Smith argues that although post-World War II politicians have attempted to take credit for the creation of welfare state, the social reform movement in France actually grew out of ...

This book is innovative in the range and scope of its research, its comparative focus, and its argument, which poses a challenge to older class-based interpretations of the development of the welfare state.

Marine Le Pen reacts to an Appeals Court decision regarding subsidies to children residing in France but born elsewhere. At the same time she points out that subsidies to French families are being cut: A decision by the Appeals Court on April 5 extends to all children of immigrants the benefit of subsidies as part of the family policy entitlement.

Feeding late maturing young bulls on high concentrate diets needs adjustment of both animal feeding behaviour and rumen adaptation which can be done by feeding maize silage according to researchers at the National Institute of Agronomic Research, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France who state good economic results are achievable alongside animal welfare.

(Reuters) - German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned on Tuesday that failure to win the battle against youth unemployment could tear Europe apart, while abandoning the continent's welfare model in favour of tougher U.S. standards would cause revolution.

It’s now commonplace to say Francois Hollande has got a great deal wrong in France, and to some extent that’s true. But not this one, from the FT:
France’s socialist government, under strong pressure to reform its big and costly social welfare system, has unveiled plans to make annual net savings of €1.